Everybody know roasted cauliflower is delicious and it keeps popping up on more and more restaurant menus over winter. But have you ever tried roasted broccoli? We recently discovered this absolutely delicious way of preparing broccoli when we had some roasted broccoli as part of a degustation menu. We both thought it was amazing! When my main man set out to find a recipe for me to make this Monday he came across this amazing Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar recipe.
1+1 tbs olive oil 1 leek, washed 1 medium waxy potato, peeled 2 large/ 2 small broccoli heads 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock 200g grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese Salt and pepper Crème fraîche or yogurt (optional)
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Thinly slice the white and light green portion of the leek. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is soft. While the leek cooks, chop the potato into 1cm chunks. Add the stock and potato to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
While the stock is coming to a boil, chop the broccoli into florets and the tender parts of the stem into slices. Spread onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the broccoli, sprinkle with a little salt and put the pans in the oven. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir the broccoli and return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until browned. The brown bits add extra depth and flavour to the soup, but make sure you don't burn the broccoli. Keep checking.
Once the stock is boiling, add the broccoli and bring to boil again. Simmer until both the potatoes and broccoli pieces are tender when pierced with a fork, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Purée soup with a stick blender or move to a regular blender and blend in batches. Add the cheese and stir until it has melted and incorporated into the soup. Taste soup and adjust the seasoning. Serve topped with a
small dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt, or a grind of fresh pepper.
